golden and seizures

[jake429]

My dog Jake had 2 seizure 1 on Friday.we took him to the emergency animal hospital try did a blood work up and gave him valuia he was ok on Saturday Sunday and Monday most of the day we went to are vet that day she check his blood pressure and it was normal but we didn't do more blood work because his other work did have very elevated levels only slightly  that thought it might be do to the seizure . We came home about a hour later he had his second seizure I call the vet she prescribe phenobarbital 64.8mg ever 12hours. Now he is stumbling all over and having a hard time getting up they say this is normal for about 2 to3 weeks and he will adjust to the medication and they do a blood test to adjust if need be his dosage. My golden retriever is 13 year-old and was in good health before this happen. The emergency vet said we could do a MRIsca on him but his age and his opinions if it was a brain tumor. So we said no to the scan. But it may not be a tumor and putting him under I don't want to risk it.

[jake429]

Thank you for your reply.my Jake is so stress free he has all the neighborhood kids who walk by they pet him and the parents give him treats. I had to cut back on his food some or he would gain weight.my husband and the neighbor boy built him a handicap ramp to day.bubby and Jake where born the same week and year together.the ramps to help him up the stairs on the porch till the phenobarbital starts evening out. All we can do is keep him as safe as we can till this starts evening out.I will do all I can so he's not in pain.thanks again

[ginger899]

Poor boy! There is a chance these sudden seizures could be caused by a tumor. It would be a heck of a ride for him to have diagnostic procedures to find out if it IS a tumor, complicated, would involve vet visits, specialist visits, quite a few sedatives, anesthetics, etc...so in many ways I can understand how you feel. It would help to find out -but it could make his life a misery.
Then -if it was a tumor, surgery would be involved; radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy if it were biopsied and found to be cancer....

Treating the symptoms is probably the best answer. Corticosteroids may help as well in some cases. I am sure your vet would know when/if using them would be any help.

There are other causes for sudden seizures in dogs, when there is no epilepsy history. Stress can be one cause (??) Has he been unduly stressed? Dehydration can be another....kidney failure and Diabetes can all cause seizures. But then again, the bloodwork would have shown if those things were happening to him.
Another cause can be Cushing's Disease. But usually the dog displays other symptoms such as hair loss, great thirst, great hunger, and a pot-belly. Also I am sure the vet would have tested had he suspected Cushing's might be the cause.